Universal, unified chess board and pictorial, sculptural chess pieces, for korean, chinese, and western chess games

ABSTRACT

The Game is designed in the metaphor of the High-Walled Medieval City of Citadel, and Casbah, that is still thriving in Morocco. The Medieval City hardly changed. The vibrant ancient culture, is especially evident in the vast indoor market. So wide and complex, the indoor market is, people get lost, and cannot find the exit from central area. Game Board emulates the ancient city layout. The Board Grid system is overlaid on the Grid system of ancient Board game, “Go” in Japanese or Baduk, in Korean. Because, Citadel game board overlays on Go Grid system, there are milliard of games can be played. Citadel and Casbah games are rich in variation of Game plays. The design deliberately allows the user to introduce their own play rules, and optional game plays. That is part of this Board game&#39;s interesting feature. Board games are usually designed to challenge playing ability of players. This game incorporates, Chance games by rolling of two dice. Two numbers obtained are used to move Board pieces. Player&#39;s ability to make tactical moves of pieces, are delicately balanced with Chance games, by design, and play rules. Rich array of optional plays, can adjust player&#39;s skills, to be able to play with less skilled, or young children to play with much more skilled, older players. In Non-capture mode, pieces are not captured and removed from the board, as in Chinese Checkers. The Inventor introduced “Piggyback” methods, to prevent opponent&#39;s deliberate obstructing act of not moving his pieces promptly.

Board games are designed, primarily to compete with wits, strategy, and logic. Usually, Chance does not have place in board games. Citadel, and Casbah games are designed to add the element of chance, in addition to usual movement of pieces on Board grids.

Rolling Dice yield two numbers. Player would move two pieces applying to moving pieces, one or two. Playing rules are designed to balance, strategic moving of pieces, applying two numbers generated from throwing two dice. from rolling dice In this invention, Strategy, wits, logic, delicate nuances in playing, and chance, get involved. This Board game “Chance” elements provide twists. It uses two dice. Players move pieces cerebrally, applying two numbers, obtained by throwing two dice. The game requires strategic thinking moving pieces, and Throwing Dice for moving pieces, interjects “Randomness” in game playing, an extra dimension.

Player moves his pieces to his opponent's Casbah, emptying his own Casbah. When a player moves his surfing pieces into Opponent's Casbah, the game ends. The player who has more pieces successfully moved to his opponent's Casbah winds. For his pieces captured by his opponent, points are deducted. Player with high score wins.

There are many different ways or options to play the game. Players must decide which game they would like to play. Play options, Play rules, and Citadel, Casbah, pieces and Board, are discussed in Brief Summary of the Invention, and Detailed Description of the Invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

“Go” is a board game, originated in China, from 2599 years ago. It is an abstract strategy board game, popular in China, Korea, and Japan. For ages, military generals, studied Go board game to train in strategic thinking. Mao is said to have applied “Go” strategy in fight against Japanese Army, in vast land of China.

Go has simple devices, but incredibly complex strategies, in surrounding opponents' stones, capturing them.

This Invention, uses Go board configurations. Citadel Board design is superimposed on Go board. Citadel and Casbah games use only central areas, but, the rest of Go Board Squares are not used.

It is convenient to use Go board, because one does not have to buy a Citadel board, but simply utilize Go board for Citadel, Casbah games. When this Invention becomes popular, commercial version of Citadel, Casbah, boards would become available.

There is another advantage, because, Citadel, Casbah board superimposed on Go board makes it possible, there is advantage of being able to play Citadel, Casbah games, and Go board games.

Anyone interested in Citadel, Casbah game, can draw Grid lines on cardboards, on plywood, with ball pen. If you happened to have Go game board, you can just super impose Citadel, Casbah board, as shown in “Drawings” Section

It uses only small square space, never played on Grid line, Grid points.

Go's Basic strategy is to surround Opponent's pieces in “Nest” space, and capture them. It is so subtle, beginners have no idea, why players start placing. Player who captures most spaces wins match. Usual practice is, nests are kept empty, removing captured Stones, Pearls. When there is no empty space to fight over for more territories, Match is over. Capture stones are put into opponent's nest, reducing number empty spaces. Whoever has more empty square, in his nets, would win the match. A player cannot put stones in the Opponent's nest, unless, that move captured stones in opponent's nest.

Pieces are called “Stone”, originally made of round stone pieces.

Purpose of the Game is to move into Opponents' Casbah space.

When there are no pieces left to move into opponent's Casbah, Game ends.

Citadel Board:

Board is identical with “Go” Board: Perfect Square consisting of 18×18 small squares. But, Citadel, Casbah games only use Citadel space. Reason for using Go Board is that players can Go game as well. Five Pearl game needs, the entire Go board. Besides, some people have Go Board already. It takes little time to make a citadel Game board. All you nee is Aver labels with two different sizes of colored labels.

Dimensions: Each Square should be Large Enough to Place Pearls without Touching Grid Lines.

Thin plywood board or Thick Cardboard is all you need. You can score them with the tip of blade, or use ball pen to draw 18×18 Go boards. Pieces (Marbles, or Round Wood Pieces). Slice a dowel in a uniform thickness with saw. That is simple enough. Anybody can make them at home.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Drawing Figures

Note: Since the Inventor, feels, the game is universal. There are many poor people in the world. Probably, many people played only by two people I like to give options in making Citadel, Casbah board and Stones, I am showing, two choices, one for Two player setting, and a second for four player setting. Four player setting uses four color schemes, and Two player setting, uses Two color schemes. It is up to players to make up mind. Two colors setting can accommodate four players, because Stone has Black, and White colors, Add Red, Blue Avery circle label, that becomes four color scheme.

FIG. 1. Citadel Board, with Four Different colors, for 2 or 4 Players.

Four Casbahs, and Central Square, and the Center Point.

FIG. 2. Two Player setting. Close-up Pictures of Stones, or Pearls.

Small circles with four different colors, matching players' Casbah's large colored circle. The example below, represents early version. The scheme below, accommodates only for games played by two players.

FIG. 3. Deployment of Pearls, for a Citadel game, with Four Different color, Small Circle Pearls, ideal setting for playing Citadel. in Full four player-playing setting. In Two player setting, Opponent's space is reduced by placing two adjacent Casbah nests empty, limiting to one Casbah space, for each player, reducing his territory with one empty Casbah space.

FIG. 4. Citadel Game in Two Player setting.

The picture gives a game in progress. Captured Pearl are shown on the board for illustration. Captured Pearls, are kept by players, which would be tallied as Negative points, deducted from the score of players whose pearls are captured by Opponent.

FIG. 5. Citadel Game in Two Player setting. Game in Progress.

This is the same as FIG. 4, but, notice, no capture pearls are placed on the Board.

FIG. 6. Game in Progress, Two Player playing Citadel Game.

This is the same as FIG. 4, but, notice, no capture pearls are placed on the Board.

FIG. 7. Piggybacking. It is used for “Non-Capture” Mode Play.

In Non-Capture mode, Pieces are not captured, nor removed from the Board Instead of Capturing piece, Opponent's piece lands on top of existing the other player's piece. The existing piece, flipped over, is disabled. Bur, as soon as the top piece moves away, the bottom pieces is placed magnet side down. The piece can resume normal play.

FIG. 8. Game in Progress (Two Players Playing Citadel Game)

This is the same as FIG. 4, but, notice, no capture pearls are placed on the Board. Two Player Set up, when always Two players play.

FIG. 9. Mini Go Game. Two Player Setting.

The Entire Go Board space is used. Players can play Full Go Game with the entire Board, or, limit plays to Citadel Board space, to shorten the play time. Match can be quick. This alternative, is useful for learning how to play Go game in limited space. Play is to surround and capture Opposite player's pieces, trapped in a nest or castle. Player, keeps captured pieces. At the end of the play, Opponent's space is reduced by placing Empty squares with captured Pieces. The remaining empty nest's squares for each player, are counted. Player with more empty square points, wins the game.

FIG. 10. Two Player Setting

Five Pearls or Five Eyes Game, Game is to line up Five pearls, in straight way or Diagonal way.

FIG. 11. Chinese Checker set

Chinese Checkers, are played without Capturing pieces. This mode has many problems. The Inventor, devised Piggybacking system, solving that problem. (See Detailed Description Section)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Board Design: Citadel Board is superimposed on Go Board. (See Drawings)

No Grid lines and Grid points are used in playing games.

Stones, or Pearls, move forward always, in straight line, ahead, right or left. Never backward.

Go Board=18×18=324 Squares.

Central Square of Citadel=7×7=49 Squares.

Casbah of Isosceles Triangle=16 Squares.

Four Casbahs around the Central Square=16×4=64 Squares Total number of Squares of Citadel Board=49+64=113 Squares Citadel, and Casbah Board games are played within 113 Citadel Squares.

In this design, I find pleasure in Numeral relationships. The Center Point, in Citadel Square, is in equal distance for any point on the Center Square. With one number out of two sets of numbers, from rolling dice, there are only two axis going through the Center Point. Two exist at 90 degree angles, from Vertices, i. e, plural form of Vertex, to Center Point, form Equal Distance. To get to the Center point from Vertices (Four Vertex in Greek Cross through the Center Point, with one number by rolling Die, lie on this Greek Cross, except Vertex point. They are seven square points away from the Center Point. Therefore, players, should start moving Pearls on this Vertices. Also, interesting point is that Casbah of 16 Squares, can be reduced to 8 Pearls, by half, by leaving one point, blank. This device shortens the game, playing with 8 pearls, not with 16. This not only speeds up or shortens the playing time, but also can be used, as a device to equalize, skilled players against less skilled players, or young children. Incidentally, an Isosceles Triangle, of Casbah,

Strength of the design of games, Board Geometry, and many adjustments in playing, by players, would bring very interesting results. This brings effect of “Normalizing” skill set of players. So that, skilled players, or older players, and less skilled person and a young child, will have equal challenge in playing.

How to Play:

Pearls or Stones, are deployed on Casbah Square. If two Casbahs are used, it is Casbah Game. When Four Players, play all four Casbahs are used. This is Citadel game. Playing rules are same.

Each Casbah has 16 squares. Top code or bottom side, of the Isosceles, has 7 squares. As it goes down toward Vertex, Stones decrease by two. So Tope line has 7, nee line, 5, next line 3, the Vertex has one square, making 16. Two players take one Casbah each, directly facing. In Casbah game, Casbah on the right side of each player is unused. It is Wild life conservation area. Stones are off limits. No square in Empty Casbah, can be used.

Players take turn, rolling Dice. Two dice yield two set of numbers. Each number should be used without breaking them up. In other words, Number six, must be fully used for a stone, Straight forward, Left, or Right. Two number can be applied to single stone, or two stones, each moving one stone. Diagonal moves are prohibited. Never moves like a Bishop in Chess. The landing spot must be empty. Stones can be moved freely over other stones in the path

In addition to the use of two dice, there is another dimension changer. Any piece landing on the central point of Citadel esquire, not just in the path, but actual landing, the stone, or piece, gets magical power of rocket. It can fly anywhere, not going backward, any spot to Casbah or Citadel Square. This is another device to speed up plays.

In board design, or in game design, it must be in Goldilocks zone. It offers challenge, not too much to become boring, laboring too much time, yet, not too easy to lose interest. So, delicate balance must be built in. Easy, but challenging, not too difficult losing interest in playing.

The Inventor, is cognizant of the need for balancing these factor. Use of two dice, and ability to fly once land on the Center point, are all designed to accommodate these factors.

Prohibition of diagonal moving, and a number must be applied in straight line, not breaking into two parts, changing directions. Changing directions are arrowed by using the second number.

There are a number of moves of playing. Most prominent one is Capture-Non-Capture modes. In capture mode, pieces are captured and removed from Board. In Non-capture mode, As McArthur said, “Old Soldier Never Die. Just face away”. He should have become a poet, not a general. This issue vexed Playing Chinese Checker games, where no piece is captured. Here, problem is Obstruction. A player may delay to move his pieces out of Casbah, blocking Opponent's piece to move into his Casbah space. It is like trying to board a train or bus, in Commuting hour rush. Chinese Checkers never found solution for it.

Here comes, “Piggyback” method. It does not capture, but can land on top of an opponent's piece. In Citadel Square, it can land on top of an opponent's piece. Then, the piece is flipped over, magnet of two pieces stick together. Top piece remain upright. The bottom piece is temporarily restrained. As soon as top piece moves away, the bottom piece is flipped upright, and free to move.

Within Casbah space, no pieces can move around. Pieces can move straight out, leaving its nest, Casbah. However, once landed on opponent's piece, that did not move out of its Casbah nest, Piggybacking would permanently restrain the piece moving out. When game is over, the constrained piece becomes yields one point per piece to the Player, whose piece kept the bottom piece hostage. That solution is simple, but, very clever solution. Now, a player would clear out his piece out of his nest, not to become liability.

Optional Playing modes:

1. Citadel or Casbah games. 2. Capture or Non-Capture modes. 3. Play Five Pearls game, were five Pearl, using the entire Go Board space 4. Checker games within the confines space of Citadel board. 5. Go game over the entire Go board, or within the Citadel Board.

Indeed, this board game has a lot of latitudes, in optional playing.

It is simple enough a five year old child can beat adults. My five year-old Granddaughter has beaten me, many times.

High-Walled Casbah, in Medieval Fortress City, Citadel, Landed on Ancient, Asian Board Game of “Go”. Casbah houses Local Leaders Protected by High Walls, against Marauders. This Invention uses that historical, exotic Metaphor. The Commercial Square, that is surrounded by Four Isosceles Triangles, called Casbah Zones, form the Citadel Game Board.

Board games are designed, primarily to compete with wits, strategy, and logic. Chance does not have place in it. Citadel, and Casbah games are designed to add the element of chance, that is beyond control of players.

Strategy, wits, logic, delicate nuances in play, and chance, are involved. “Chance” elements provide twists. It not only use dice, but two dice, not one. The game get different nuances, differing in density, and complexity.

There are two different games to be played, Citadel, or Casbah. Citadel and Casbah, are almost identical in playing, and ruled. The deciding factor is, not number of players involved, but, how many Casbahs are used.

In Citadel, all four Casbahs around the central square are used.

In Casbah, one or two casbahs are not used, and no pieces are deployed. Casbah has another twist. Players decide at the outset, whether they want to use three Casbahs, and leave out one Casbah, without any piece placed, or two casbahs. In Casbah game, any one or two Casbahs are not used. No piece can venture in the unused Casbah. Empty Casbahs make the board design different.

This decision, add interesting new dimensions. In Casbah, one or two Casbahs are removed from playing, nonexistent. Choosing which two casbahs, adjacent, or opposing directions, would make flavors of game different, affecting the length of playing time, combination of dice, luck, and chance, density, and complexity of playing.

Indeed, Citadel, and Casbah games have infinite variety of playing methods. Anytime, all four Casbahs are used, this is Citadel game. Each Casbah has 16 Square Spaces for 16 pieces. Four Casbah has 64 Pieces in total. One can skip one square space between two pieces. That reduces the total to 32 pieces, equivalent to two full Casbah spaces. This way, a Citadel game, using four Casbah spaces to two full Casbah spaces. When two players play Casbah, the Two players can use Three Casbahs. Each player can get his full Casbah in front of him, and Counterclockwise, a second Casbah with 8i piece (half strength). This way full Three Casbah space is used. Therefore, Players should explore many different ways of playing.

This is the only board game that combines, chance, by way of using two dice, and strategy, and skill. Players must jointly decide which Casbahs to use, or not to use. This is a new, novel board game, with variety of playing situations. Even if three players play, one skilled player can use two Casbahs, and the other only one. If any Casbah is removed from game play, this is Casbah game. This introductory statements are so important, they are repeated in Brief Description of the Invention, and Detailed Description of the Invention Section. Words, Casbah and Casbah: They are synonymous. But, Apple's Dictionary software, rejects “Casbah” as misspelled. That is not the case. Because of this problem, the Inventor stock with spelling “Casbah”. There is a gorgeous DVD, by Richard Bang, on Casbah, in Morocco. It is fabulous, Readers should look at it. YouTube may have Videos.

On-line Dictionaries seem to prefer to spell “Casbah” not allowing “Casbah”, and automatic Word Processing Program, constantly changes spelling to Casbah. I Personally prefer Casbah as Richard Bang Spelled in his famed DVD. “Morocco, Quest for the Kasbah” The Apple Word Processor program, keeps changing back “K”, “Kasbah” to “Casbah”. Apple Program insists on Changing Back to “Casbah”, and I would like to note here, “Kasbah” with “K”, and “Casbah” are used synonymously. You notice, whenever I use “Casbah”, TextEdit, Apples Word software, changes back to ‘Casbah”. Latest TextEdit, acknowledges both spellings, “Casbah” and “Casbah”. 

1. The Inventor employs, a common Eastern Chess Board, and common, Identical Chess pieces, with, 2 or 3 Dimensional Graphic Chess Pieces, or, using Unique piece-names, or the Unique Initial letter of Chess piece names, derived from the modern Weaponry, allowing two players, to play together, Eastern or Western Chess games, or, a player playing Western Chess game using Western Chess rules, and second player, playing Eastern Chess game, using Eastern Chess rules, on the same board.
 2. The ancient Warfare metaphors are completely changed to Modern Warfare concept, and modern Warfare Weaponry Chess pieces, Replacing Traditional Chess Pieces, both Western, and Eastern.
 3. Computer based, Play-tracking systems, and Tagging, Coding Systems for Chess Pieces, are devised, One, for Grid Mode, another, for Space Mode. 